Green groups launched the Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan 2011, an awards event aiming to seek out and recognize seven Philippine heroes/ heroines of the environment– nameless individuals, organizations, or communities who have selflessly spearheaded or helped lead significant environmental struggles and the protection of basic rights.

The Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan (GBK) 2011 is open to all Filipino individuals, organizations and institutions who have demonstrated extraordinary ability and effort to uphold the environment and people’s welfare, whether in the form of advocacy, campaigns, education, research, technology development, community services, mass media or cultural work.

Seven GBK awardees (three awards for Individuals and Organizations and one Most Distinguished Award) will be chosen by an independent Board of Judges. Acceptance of nominations for the GBK is open until midnight of July 15, 2011.

Seven GBK awardees (three awards for Individuals and Organizations and one Most Distinguished Award) will be chosen by an independent Board of Judges:

Most Distinguished Awards Awarded to an individual or organization in recognition of his/her/their being an inspiration and example to the Filipino people for offering time and talents for the defense of the environment and advancement of the people’s welfare.

Individual Awards Awarded to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary ability and effort to uphold the environment and people’s welfare, whether in the form of advocacy, campaigns, education, research, technology development, community services, mass media, or cultural work.

Organizational Awards Awarded to people’s and community organizations and institutions that have demonstrated unity in upholding the welfare of the people and of the environment by exemplary actions and advocacy, campaigns, education, research, technology development, community services, mass media, or cultural work.

Acceptance of nominations for the GBK is open until midnight of July 15, 2011. Guidelines, awards requirements and nominations forms are available for download at www.cecphils.org.

The Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan 2011 is organized by Center for Environmental Concerns, in cooperation with Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan Awards Committee, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Foundation for the Philippine Environment, Agham-Advocates of Science and Technology for the People, Haribon Foundation, Ecowaste Coalition, Panalipdan Mindanao and Central Visayas Fisherfolk Development Center Inc.

The first GBK kicked off in 2009 naming the late anti-mining activist Eliezer “Boy” Billanes as the recipient of the Most Distinguished Awardee. The GBK Individual Awardees were the Ata-Manobo leader Datu Guibang Apoga, Manny Calonzo of the Ecowaste Coalition and the dean of University of the Philippines Tacloban Margarita dela Torre- dela Cruz. The winners of the GBK Awards for Organizations were grassroots- based organizations Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA), the Central Visayas Fisherfolk Development Center Inc. (Fidec) and Seamancor Eco-Developers Inc. of Sorsogon. Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan Secretariat Committee